


Fallen Angel

by NicholeRivera19



Series: Angels & Demons [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Baby's first words, Cheating, Cold Weather, Dating, Dating other people, Depression, F/M, Forehead Kisses, Gentleness, Girl playing games, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Love Confessions, M/M, Making Love, Making Out, Making Up, Meeting my son, Mentions of Abusive Relationship, Moving On, New York, Scarlett Baker's Trial, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Harm, Shock, Soft Kisses, Starting Over, Still in love with each other, Threatening Messages, Tip Toe-ing that line, affair, almost cheating, cute kisses, hand holding, julliard, love of my life, nose kisses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-16
Updated: 2015-05-11
Packaged: 2018-03-13 05:41:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3369887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicholeRivera19/pseuds/NicholeRivera19
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scarlett stood up and walked down the hallway to the nursery, walking over to the crib and stared down at her one year old son. She smiled as she looked down at him, dark messy hair and the bluest eyes she had only seen on other time before</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Here We Go Again

Scarlett woke up to the sound of her alarm at six-thirty in the morning. She rolled over, turning to face her boyfriend of one year; she ran her hand down his shoulder gently as he stirred from his slumber. She stood up and walked down the hallway to the nursery, walking over to the crib and stared down at her one year old son. She smiled as she looked down at him, dark messy hair and the bluest eyes she had only seen on other time before. She covered him silently with his small blanket and he opened his eyes blearily, then a tiny, toothless smile spread across his face. She leaned over and picked him up while his little, chubby hands reached for her; it was relaxing for her to hold him before her morning class, but it still didn't stop Scarlett from taking a razor to her skin.

"Is he hungry?" A soft voice asked. Scarlett turned and attempted a smile at Eric, holding CJ up near him. Eric smiled and took him in his arms, cooing to him quietly.

"Hey baby, are you ready for school? You're not going to school dressed like that are you?" He questioned motioning to her pajamas. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"No, I'm not", she replied walking back down the hall of her apartment to her room and got dressed; she was wearing a dark grey long sleeved shirt and dark wash jeans, her hair piled on her head in a ballerina bun and her makeup done lightly. As she looked in the mirror, she took a deep breath, not liking what she saw. _Oh, Castiel. I miss you so much. I wish we had never broken up. I still love you_. She jumped when she heard Eric knock on the bathroom door; she opened it and then walked out, flashing a smile at him.

"Jessica will be over in fifteen minutes to watch CJ while I go to work", he said. Scarlett nodded and smiled again, trying to keep up appearances. Eric handed CJ to her and he giggled, grabbing at Scarlett's necklace.

"I have to leave now, I'll just grab breakfast from the vending machine", Eric said. Scarlett frowned a bit and then tilted her head, shifting so that CJ was balanced on her hip.

"Are you sure? I can scramble some eggs up really quickly, honey", she said. He shook his head.

"Your hair needs to be dyed again. I don't like that color on you", he answered as he walked out of the apartment. Scarlett sighed and set CJ down before she walked into the kitchen. She could hear him toddling after her making grabbing motions with his hands and murmuring gibberish. She smiled as she scrambled up some eggs and cheese for her and him, placing him in his high chair.

\-----------------

Castiel rubbed his tired eyes as he finished reading a book his girlfriend had suggested; he didn't like the story all that much, in fact, it made his heart ache. He missed Scarlett. It had been almost a whole year and a half since he had last seen her. Sighing, he felt arms wrap around his neck, smiling as he turned to face his girlfriend.

"Hi baby", she said placing a soft kiss on his lips. He smiled as she pulled away, her face lighting up seeing the book.

"Oh! Did you like it?" She questioned excitedly. Castiel rubbed the back of his neck and then shrugged.

"It was pretty good. And it was intense, you were right", he answered, feeling like he was giving her a hollow answer. She smiled and she sat in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"We've dated for almost a year and a half...How come we haven't...you know?" She asked. Castiel froze for a moment, his hands on her hips.

"Well, I-I u-uh, I mean...well, I-I'll want to make it special so I'd rather wait until we were engaged", he stammered out. She smiled softly at him as she ran her hands through his hair, kissing his cheek. He sighed softly and then felt startled once he felt his tongue ring in his mouth; he knew Taylor didn't like it but _he_ liked it. He sighed and held her face in his hands.

"Tay, I've got to get ready for school. Julliard doesn't accept tardiness", he said a bit jokingly. She smiled and kissed his forehead, standing and jogging off to their room they shared in his apartment. He ran his hands through his disheveled hair and walked to the room as well, pulling a red plaid shirt down, grabbing a pair of tight, dark jeans. He changed quickly when he heard the shower turn on. He sighed buttoning the shirt up; he was mildily proud of himself for working out and building up his muscles; he grabbed a grey beanie and pulled it onto his head, knowing how cold it could get outside. Castiel knocked on the door before poking his head in.

"Babe, I'm leaving now", he said. He heard a muffled 'Okay' and he walked out, grabbing his messenger bag. He had new notebooks, new pens; he was ready, really ready for school. While he took the subway, he noticed a girl sitting near the end her nose in a book. She looks familiar, he thought watching her. The girl was wearing a dark grey, long sleeved shirt and tight, dark jeans. Scarlett felt as if she was being watched while she read her book and lifted her head, looking around. She locked eyes with an attractive, blue eyed boy and gave him a friendly smile. He returned the smile and slowly made his way towards her; as he grew closer Scarlett recognized him and froze, as if she were prey and he was the hunter.

"Scarlett? Scarlett Baker?" He questioned, holding onto the pole to regain his balance as the subway lurched. She swallowed slowly, tucking her book into her duffel bag, adjusting the strap of her purse on her shoulder.

"Hello, Castiel", she murmured. He was about to pull her into a hug but paused, remembering they hadn't talked in such a long time; while he debated whether or not to hug her, she was suddenly in his arms hugging him. As she pulled away he noticed how close their faces were but she immediately pulled back.

"It's been a long time. How have you been?" She questioned. He shrugged, taking in all the new things about her. Her hair was at least down to her back now, her hazel eyes were just as beautiful as he remembered, but there was something different lingering in them. Her cheeks were peach in color, her lips that same pink he loved. He felt the emotions blooming inside of his chest when his eyes met hers. It was as if only the two of them existed, her eyes locked with his as she took in him. He had gotten taller, he was almost six foot but not quite and he had gained some muscle, she could tell through the shirt he was wearing. Her eyes caught the Julliard emblem and her breath hitched in her throat.

"Y-You're going to Julliard?" She questioned. He nodded, smiling at her but then he frowned when he noticed she touched her wrist gingerly.

"Yes, I'm in an acting program there. Maybe I'll see you around yeah?" He inquired. She shrugged, seeming to distance herself from him.

"I'm dancing there", she said softly. He couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face, she got her dream. A top school will look great on her resume.

"Do you still have your piercing?" She asked. He opened his mouth and rolled his tongue out to show her. Her cheeks turned a pale pink as she blushed and Castiel relished in it.

"Scarlett, after classes today, do you want to get a coffee with me?" He asked, hoping she would say yes. She nodded and then frowned.

"I can't...Not today. Maybe tomorrow", she said. He nodded, smiling at her and she very slowly returned the smile.

"You haven't changed a bit", he started. She looked almost offended as she stood up because the tube was getting close to her stop.

"That's not true. I have two more tattoos", she teased. His eyes widened as they roved over her form, trying to see if he could see one. He was disappointed when he couldn't see any of it.

"We're just going to get coffee as friends right?" She inquired. Castiel nodded and then ran his hand through his hair.

"Yes, I should tell you...I-I have a girlfriend now", he mumbled. Scarlett kept her face neutral as she took in the information, truth be told his words cut her deeper than any blade she had encountered. She forced herself to smile and he relaxed a bit, his shoulders relaxed.

"I have a boyfriend. We're just friends, Castiel", she replied. Inside of himself he flinched, if he was honest with himself he was devastated when Scarlett moved. He was in love with her and she had to leave him; it can't have been easy for her either, the way her eyes looked listless, distant. He'd give anything to follow her down that road when she had left and go with her, creating his life hopefully, with her life and soul. He smiled tightly as the subway stopped and he made to walk out when he bumped into her.

"What classes do you have?" She asked while he followed her off the subway, heading up the same flight of stairs. He smiled and took out a white binder as they continued walking along the street towards the school. He handed it to her and he frowned when her sleeve slid up along her arm, showing the red, angry marks. Reaching out, he grabbed her wrist and pulled it towards him, pushing the sleeve up more. Fresh, long, scattered cuts peppered her arm and looked into her eyes as her eyes became downcast. She slowly pulled her arm back and instead focused on his binder to read the list of schedules.

"Looks like we've got the first two classes together", she quipped. He smiled and held his hand out for his binder; she smiled seeing that his nails were painted their familiar black as she handed it to him, smiling. His fingers brushed against hers and he felt a swooping sensation in his stomach.

"Ah, English, remember our old English class?" He asked. Her cheeks flushed and she looked down with a soft smile as the memories rushed back easily; Castiel could see that day clearly, it seemed such a long time ago, as if it had been over ten years.

_"Castiel, I don't know where you're taking me. I can't see and your hands smell like cheetos", Scarlett grumbled as Castiel kept her eyes covered while he led her down the hallway to the classroom they shared their last class in. He uncovered her eyes and she looked around, tilting her head in confusion._

_"What...what are we doing in-Hey wait a minute, how did you get in here?" She asked. He smiled as he leaned against the desk that was in the front of the teacher's desk; he watched her lean against the teacher's desk, looking at him._

_"The janitor owed me a favor after I caught him bringing his girlfriend here after hours. But...Can you think of why I brought you here?" He asked. She bit her lip and he smiled, knowing it was a quirk of hers to bite her lip while she would think. Finally her shoulders lowered in defeat, she threw a playful glare at him._

_"No, idiot. I don't know why we're here", she replied, sticking her tongue out at him like a child. He crossed his arms over his chest, pointing at the aisle of desks on the other side and her gaze following his hand._

_"The first time you kissed me was right there, almost eight months ago", he answered. Her cheeks flushed, looking like a bright beacon. He watched her, starting from her feet slowly bringing his eyes up her body, watching the shape of it; he could feel his heart starting to race, blood rushing straight to his cock._

_"It was, wasn't it. But you know, it's not like I'm your girlfriend or anything, so I don't think it really matters", she said teasingly, wrinkling her nose up at him. He just threw a smirk at her, his eyes landing on her lips; he knew she only wore that color anymore because of the intense desire it would ignite in him. Clenching his hands, his eyes went down her body again, relishing in the fact that he would be the one to make her write under him. He bit his lip, reminded of how submissive she could be but also how she do a complete one eighty. She was ninety-nine percent angel, but oh that one percent; her horns were interchangeable with her halo, do you know how dangerous that could be? He cleared his throat and adjusted himself as he watched her hands run down her body slowly._

_"Do you want to touch me?" She whispered. Walking over to her, he placed his hands on the desk behind her to trap her, kissing her gently. She returned the kiss, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. He pulled away so their lips were barely touching._

_"More than I want to breathe", he replied. He crushed his lips to hers in a heated kiss; he saw in her, the beauty he could only dream of and inside of her body a fire within which could ignite an uncontrollable urge of desire he felt he could not live without. The kiss she returned was just as heated as his, if not more once she pushed her tongue between his lips; he pushed his hips against hers, rotating them slowly. A soft moan escaped her mouth as he swallowed the sound, moving his lips fiercely against hers while his hands started undoing the buttons on her shirt. Her hands slid down his shoulders, grasping at the hem of his shirt from the back and she tugged on it before she pulled away from the kiss. Castiel admired her kiss swollen lips and the heave of her chest as she tried to catch her breath while he shed his shirt off, throwing it on the floor._

_"But Cas, what if someone"-She was cut off when he picked her up and set her down on the desk, his hips nestling between her legs. Her cheeks flushed again, turning a brilliant shade of pink; he smiled as he pressed soft kisses along her jaw, nipping lightly as the skin. Her hands found his hair and she ran her fingers through it softly, tilting his head to her. She leaned down to kiss him, her hands leaving his hair and finding purchase on the on the desk behind her; he slowly slid her shirt down her arms as he returned her kiss with equal fervor. His hands found her breasts, gently pushing against them through her bra before she pulled away again, pressing a kiss to the side of his nose._

_"Castiel?" She asked in a hushed whisper. He pressed his forehead to hers, locking eyes with hers._

_"Yes, baby?" He said. She placed her hands around his neck, gently running her fingertips along his jugular._

_"Not here...Not like this", she said. He immediately pulled away from her and handed her shirt back to her. She slid her arms down the sleeves and started buttoning it up; Castiel picked up his shirt from the floor and pulled it on, wincing at the coolness of the shirt from the floor. He adjusted himself in his pants, helping her off the desk. She still looked surprised while he wound his arms around her, holding her against his chest._

_"So...Next time we have alone, I can make love to you?" Castiel started, surprising Scarlett even more. She felt her cheeks up in embarrassment and shyness, burying her face in his chest. Her heart was beating so fast, it almost hurt._

_"You want to make love to me?" She asked, sounding amused. Castiel held her out at arms' length and kissed the tip of her nose, watching as her eyes crossed._

_"Yes", he answered. She yawned sleepily and pushed his arm playfully, smiling up at him_.

"Your hands smelled like cheetos and you admitted that you wanted to make love to me", she whispered. Castiel focused his gaze on her as they stopped at the steps of the school, her eyes meeting his; he could tell they were close to tears by how glossy they were.

"I asked you if you wanted to touch me and you said"-"More than I want to breathe", he said interjecting smoothly. She turned away and Castiel was positive she was wiping her tears away before he touched her arm.

"Why are you cutting again?" He asked gently. She turned and then fixed him with a stare he had gotten use to when they had first been dating.

"That really isn't any of your business Castiel, now is it?" She challenged. He sighed and ran his through his dark brown hair when her eyebrows furrowed.

"Your hair isn't black anymore", she stated. He laughed, letting go of her arm.

"I haven't had a chance to dye it again and Taylor doesn't really like the black hair", he answered. Scarlett shrugged as they walked into the school.

"It's what drew me to you in the first place", she replied. She turned to face him and smiled at him just like she use to.

"Hey, are Gabriel and Sam still together?" She asked. He nodded, thinking for a moment.

"They have an apartment together and both go to Stanford. Gabriel is studying to be an actual therapist and Sam is studying to be a lawyer", he explained. Scarlett smiled and adjusted the bun on top of her head.

"That's great...Isn't it?" She asked. He gave her a soft, sad look. He wanted to be with her always. _Why did the trial have to end that way? Why couldn't she have stayed with him? They loved each other. Why didn't she ever try to contact me?_ Castiel swallowed, repressing some of his thoughts. She smiled almost as sadly as she found the class, she stopped and reached for the binder he was holding; automatically he gave it to her, not needing to know her purpose with it.

"Looks like this is the class", she said softly. He watched as she shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

"Sit next to me", he offered. She stayed silent as they walked into class, taking seats in the back after climbing some stairs. They set their bags down and Scarlett took out a notebook, quickly jotting something down. As they sat down, she crossed her legs and Castiel took his beanie off, mussing out his hair. She bit her lip, moving it in between her top and bottom teeth before she pushed the notebook over to him. His eyes went wide as he saw her message.

_'You have a son'_

He stared at the page, running his fingertips over it before he took out a pen. He thought about what to say when some other kids filed in; he barely registered the Professor was late as he continued to look at what she had written. Scarlett watching him, stuck between anxious and nervous. He scribbled something and pushed it back, his hand starting to shake a bit from nerves.

_'I have a son'_

Was all he had said. Scarlett took a deep breath as she began to write, she looked around at the classroom, still looking for the professor and then turned the notebook, pushing it over to Castiel.

_'I found out I was pregnant shortly after I moved. My foster parents were very...indifferent seems to be the appropriate word. They said I'd be almost eighteen and that I no longer had a home with them once I turned eighteen. I maintained two jobs until he was born, saved enough money for me to get move out here-You know this diner I work at now, takes kindly to single mothers.'_

Castiel stared at her response and then turned his eyes on hers, they were desperately searching in his. He took his pen back into his hand and exhaled quickly before writing. As he pushed the notebook back, he noticed an older man with a balding head and a white beard at the front of the classroom, slowly calling out people's names.

'I'm glad you're okay. How come you're just telling me this now? How does your boyfriend feel about it?'

Scarlett jumped when the professor called her name.

"H-here sir!" She said firmly. Castiel could hear her pen scratching against the paper as she wrote, feeling his palms get sweaty.

_'It's...difficult for me to explain that. I don't want you to feel obligated. But I feel that you had a right to know, since you're going to be in my classes. Eric likes him, but I can tell he's over the whole mom thing. He tries really hard to be a good father'_

Castiel frowned, reading the last two lines. _Another man with girl and my son, how fucking perfect he_ thought bitterly as he wrote. He was tapping his foot impatiently for the professor to call his name, knowing his last name began with 'N' Castiel knew he'd have to wait a bit.

_'I don't feel obligated. Did you ever try to contact me?'_

Scarlett could feel her heart in her throat as she swallowed passed the lump.

_'I did. I sent 16 letters to your Mom and Dad's house, but they all came back. It said they had a new address. I'm so sorry, Castiel. For everything.'_

Castiel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This is not how he wanted the conversation to go. He scribbled slowly, watching her in his peripheral vision; how could he have let someone like her just leave his life? He should have fought harder to keep her, now some other bastard got to be with her, touch her, love her and he was in a relationship he really didn't want to be in. He pushed the notebook back to her when he felt his phone vibrating.

\----

_'I'm feeling like Chinese tonight, but I don't have enough. Think we can go halfsies?'-Tay_

He sighed, rubbing his eyes as he typed out a response.

_'I can't tonight, Tay. I can't afford it. I'm not making enough at the shoppe.'-C_

He sighed until he felt an almost immediate response.

_'Then why do you still work there??? Like, no offense Cas, it's not going to take you anywhere. It's a dead end job. Also, you'd make more money if you pulled more shifts, just FYI-Tay_

Castiel frowned as his fingers blurred while he typed.

_'I work two to four shifts on the weekend. It's just been really slow this month. Don't call me Cas. You're not allowed to. Who care if it takes me anywhere? I want to teach Drama after I get a degree in it.-C_

He noticed Scarlett's eyes had watered from his note and he exhaled slowly, trying to control his temper-which he only seemed to have with everything that involved Tay. Lord knows the one time he was way over the line with Scarlett things had turned from bad to worse really quickly and he was never mean to her again; firm maybe, but never mean. His phone vibrated again.

_'I'm not coming home 2night. I'm very disappointed in you'-Tay_

Castiel really couldn't care less, once he received that text. He replied with a simple answer.

_'K. Then don't blow my phone up when I lock the door'-C_

_\-----_

Scarlett wiped away the tears as she reread the note.

_Don't you ever apologize. Sure, I never wanted you to move or for me to leave; but sometimes things don't work out the way we want. That's life, it's okay to move forward. For the record, you're still end game for me. Even though I have a girlfriend, I can't bring myself to tell her those three words-it isn't right; they're meant for you. I haven't....slept with her either. I usually end up sleeping on the couch. She doesn't replace you or my memories of you._

She didn't know what to say. What could she say? _I love you too. I don't love Eric? He's manipulative but he knows exactly what to do and say to make me stay?_ She inhaled deeply to calm her nerves. _"_

Present", Castiel called out, startling Scarlett from her reverie. She smiled weakly and started writing slowly until she pushed it back to him.

_'I don't know what to reply with. So, I'm going to the eloquent thing and change the subject. His name is CJ. Your son, I mean. It stands for Castiel Jarvis(I couldn't help myself and I figured you would have loved it). He's almost two.'_

Castiel felt his chest tighten as he read the reply, taking a moment before he processed what to say.

_What does he look like?_

He slid the notebook over to her and took out one of his own, noticing the Professor had started putting notes up on the board. He wrote it down quickly while Scarlett started digging around in her bag. She placed the picture on the note and wrote something down before handing it to him. He pushed his notes to her, watching as she pulled another notebook from her bag and copied them down.

_This is him. He looks just like you. That dark, messy hair, those cobalt blue eyes and his smile, he looks nothing like me. Which is a wonderful thing._

Castiel picked up the picture she had put with it. In fact, CJ looked just like him but he turned to look at Scarlett and when he managed to get her attention he reached out his hand and touched her dimple just beneath her bottom lip. It was a small dimple, but he knew it was there when she was genuinely smiling.

"He has your dimple", he whispered. Scarlett's cheeks turned a brilliant shade of pink until she looked down, withdrawing her face.

"But he looks like you mostly", she answered. He watched as she finished copying the notes and slid his notebook over to him. He smiled and touched her arm, waiting until her eyes met his.

"After class, since we have a twenty minutes, let's take a walk down to the coffee shop I work at. I'll get you some tea. You still like Earl Grey light with honey and milk, right?" He asked. A small smile graced her lips and she nodded.

"Yes. I do...CJ, does too...But I can't", she replied quietly. He ran his hand through his hair and then looked at her.

"Is there anyway I can see him?" He questioned. She bit her lip, hesitating and he sighed in understanding. She touched his hand, this time waiting for him to look at her.

"Every Saturday, Eric works overnight. I go to Bryant Park at around four...We usually start at the swings", she said quickly as the professor closed his discussion. They started gathering their supplies, their arms brushing against each others' so often and they stood at the same time. Scarlett glanced around almost nervously before walking passed Castiel down the stairs leading out of the classroom; he followed her and put his beanie back on, adjusting it. As they walked out of the school, Castiel lead her over to one of the benches.

"What's his first word?" He asked as he sat down. Scarlett tugged on the hair hanging over her shoulder and sighed.

"He hasn't started talking yet. But I'm trying to get him to say mama. I don't want him calling Eric dada", she answered honestly. He looked at her and she looked as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Her eyes focused on the ground, but Castiel could see them watering up.

"...I can't tell Eric that I'll be seeing you on Saturday. He'd be furious. He's a jealous man, but...he's a good man", she said after a moment's pause. Castiel understood; she was in an unhappy relationship just as he was, but it would be wrong for them to give up entirely.

"I understand. It'll stay between us. I promise. I can't exactly tell Taylor either, however at the moment, she's kind of pissed at me", he explained. Scarlett tilted her head in that 'oh, why?' look but then she straightened.

"I'm sorry", she answered. He shrugged and she shivered softly as a cool breeze drifted over the campus; he reached into his messenger bag and pulled out a sweater, handing it over to her. She accepted it and pushed her arms through the sleeves, it barely fit because of how his biceps had grown.

"You've gained some muscle, haven't you?" She questioned with a laugh. He shrugged modestly, trying not to smile too much. _My own girlfriend didn't even notice_ he thought briefly.

"It looks good on you", she said as she curled into his sweater more. He couldn't help but feel a bit proud of himself that she had accepted his jacket; her stupid boyfriend, if she didn't have him she'd be mine in less than a heartbeat he shifted, making sure she couldn't guess what he was thinking.

"How did you meet Eric?" He asked conversationally. She shifted almost uncomfortably.

"...My senior year. He was already a freshman in college, but he liked me. He thought I was sweet and cute", she said and immediately regretted it. Her jaw clenched as she looked down. _You're far more than cute and sweet, you're beautiful and intelligent, sexy and whimsical; you're every mans dream_ he thought intensely as he watched her. She glanced at him and then away.

"Cas, stop. You've got that look", she whispered. He blinked slowly and then put his neutral face on.

"I'm sorry. It's just...Good to see you", he answered. She let out a weak laugh.

"It's been wonderful to see you too. We should head to our next class", she said quickly, standing up and adjusting her bag on her shoulder. He stood and followed her back into the school.


	2. Broken Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: There is a panic attack, followed by a softer one. I want everyone to be able to read this, so please do not. Trigger also for physical abuse.

_Their lips collided in a long awaited kiss, teeth clicking sloppily as the emotions flowed between their naked bodies. Castiel pulled Scarlett closer, his hands resting on her hips while her arms wound themselves around his neck; she bit at his lips, her hands tugging on his hair. He wedged his knee in between her legs, causing her to whimper in return while she rolled her hips against his. She earned a groan from Castiel and he was sure that she could feel his erection against her thigh, as they pulled apart, Scarlett looked at Castiel's swollen lips, his pupils blown wide with arousal. He wrapped her hair around his hand in a makeshift ponytail and tugged her head back, pressing warm, wet, open mouthed kisses along her neck as he pushed her down onto her bed. She let out a soft moan as his teeth nipped at her throat and chin, leaving tiny marks; Scarlett pulled him down by his belt and undid it, tossing it to the floor._

  
_"Castiel, hurry, please", she whimpered quietly. She quieted down when laved her breasts with soft kisses and sucks, leaving small, red hickies on her tanned skin; he watched the rise and fall of her chest while he sucked a darker hickey under her breast._

  
_"It's been too long, Scarlett", he murmured against her skin, earning a soft gasp from her. Goosebumps erupted on her skin at his words and he bit down on her hip, her hands threading through his hair as her back arched._

  
_"Too long, Castiel", she agreed before pulling him up for a deep, passionate kiss. Their tongues moved together as if they had never been separated, never been apart. He slid into her completely, nearly falling apart as he heard the sound that escaped her lips. Castiel started a fast pace, taking everything she offered; Scarlett dug her nails into his shoulders as he managed to find and repeatedly hit her G-spot. She made deep, angry red marks down his back as he rubbed fast, hard circles on her clit. Gasping for breath, her hands dropped down gripping the sheets as she whimpered; Castiel gave a few more erratic pumps of his hips until he came inside her with a loud, deep groan._   
  
Castiel woke up with a lurch on Saturday morning covered in sweat, noticing that Taylor wasn't sleeping next to him again; he looked around their apartment and couldn't find her whatsoever, shrugged his shoulders and walked into the bathroom. He took in his messy hair, his flushed cheeks and felt the all too familiar loose-limbed feeling in his bones; he looked down at his boxers, seeing the damp spot and groaned.

  
"Like a fucking teenager", he muttered as he turned the water on in the shower. Just before stepping in, he heard his phone buzz on the bedside table along with the low beep sound; he sighed, striding into the room naked while sliding his finger across the screen.

  
 _'C.J. decided he wanted to come early today, so I brought PB &J sandwiches, there's a few sodas, some water and Gatorade. Do you need anything else?_'-S

  
Castiel couldn't help the smile that tugged on the corner of his mouth as he read the text but suddenly he felt nervous. He stared at her text message, wondering how to reply when it buzzed in his hand again. This time with a text message from Taylor.

  
 _'Going to be late tonight. Boss is riding me. Hope you're not still mad'_ -T

  
He sighed, taking a deep breath and quickly typed a response.

  
 _'I'm not mad, Tay. But I'll see you when you get home?'_ -C

  
He opened Scarlett's message again, typing a quick response.

  
 _'That sounds good. PB &J's are my favorite. See you soon, taking a quick shower_'-S

  
With that, he set his phone back down on the bedside table and walked into the bathroom, stepping into the shower.

  
\-----------

  
Scarlett settled C.J. on the soft blanket she had brought, watching as he looked up at her with those sapphire blue eyes that looked so much like his fathers'. He had eyes beyond his years, they would squint when he didn't understand something, glare when he would catch someone in a lie; for a child so young, his eyes and face were so expressive. She heard a high-pitched whistle and looked up, a shy smile spreading across her lips as she saw Castiel. C.J. swiveled his head around to search for the sound and his eyes widened before he turned to Scarlett, starting to babble at her.

  
"blllbbbb", he spluttered out. Scarlett started laughing as he gripped the air and Castiel settled himself on the other side of Scarlett, leaning in to kiss her cheek; he thought better of it and hid a cough in his arm.

  
"So, this is C.J.", he started, taking in the dark brown, almost black really, hair and those big blue, innocent eyes. C.J. picked up one of the silicone squares, starting to chew on it while drool slid down the side of his mouth.

  
"He's been teething, Doc said it's the last of his baby teeth but he's been an absolute angel about it. He's only fussed once and that was because he couldn't relieve the pressure", she explained. Castiel smiled with a nod and leaned over to tousle his already messy hair laughing when the boy gave him a disgruntled look and then looked up at Scarlett, making a whimpering sound. Scarlett took a deep breath and pulled C.J. onto her lap.

  
"C.J. this is...", she trailed off, not knowing how to introduce Castiel to her-their son. Castiel gave her an understanding smile before he surprised her.

  
"I'm mommy's friend from school, you can call me Uncle Cas", he said. C.J. stared up at Castiel, still gnawing on the block. He made bubbles with his drool, before crawling off Scarlett's lap and into Castiel's. A look of shock and surprise flit across Scarlett's face but it was immediately replaced with a warm smile as she tucked some hair behind her ear; C.J.'s eyes started to droop a bit, the block falling onto the blanket.

  
"He's never taken to someone so quickly. He still doesn't like Eric very much", she said as C.J. fell asleep. Scarlett motioned for him to set C.J. down on the blanket and Castiel picked him up and laid him down as Scarlett covered him with a soft blanket. She sat criss cross style and ran her hand through her hair.

  
"Why doesn't he like Eric? Is he not a nice guy?" He questioned as he laid back, his hand resting near C.J.'s tummy, drawing soft patterns on his onesie. Scarlett laid back as well, running her fingers through the soft hair on C.J.'s head, smiling serenly. Her smile disappeared as her thoughts took a different turn. This is the way things should have been, Castiel, me and our son; I should have asked to stay, or for the attorney to find another family in the same town. No, Scarlett you know it's your fault because you didn't want to stay in that godforsaken town with those memories. Castiel's hand whipped back when he felt Scarlett's hand brush against his; they looked at each other and gave each a soft smile, before turning their heads away.

  
"Do you regret leaving?" Castiel asked, frowning at himself immediately knowing it wasn't his place to be upset. But he had to know, he pulled his hand away again when Scarlett's fingertips touched the back of his hand.

  
"I do. I regret not asking for a family there, but please try to understand why I left, Castiel. I didn't want to be in a town where they thought that I was wrong in what I did", she replied with a crack in her voice. Castiel turned on his side to face her as did she, her eyes clouded with tears. He didn't look at her because he doesn't know how to face her, it wasn't her fault really; she wanted to be away from the one whom had hurt her and given her awful memories. His eyes finally met hers and hers were saddened, as if it physically pained her to talk about it-thinking back on it, it probably hurt her more talking about it then experiencing it.

  
"I'm sorry, it wasn't my place to ask", he answered. For the third time, Scarlett reached for Castiel's hand and was surprised this time when he didn't pull away-he slid his fingers between hers.

  
"You had every right to ask. I'm honestly surprised how well you're taking the whole, you have a son thing...You've not gotten mad at me once, yet", she replied. He gave her a serious look, licking his lips before he answered. Her eyes didn't miss the motion and suddenly, Castiel could feel the sexual tension exuding from her in waves.

  
"Well", he cleared his throat, trying to control his emotions.

  
"Scarlett, you were scared and essentially alone. I mean yes, you met Eric, but before him you were living with other foster parents...You did the best you could and he's just wonderful", he said. Scarlett rubbed her thumb across his knuckles in a tender gesture, her gaze not straying from his once. She felt a swell of pride bloom in her chest at the compliment Castiel gave her-their son. She would have to work on that.

  
"I was terrified...For months I've had nightmares that I was back in that house or that during trial he was there and he smooth talked his way out of it. Everyone looked at me differently, I had the facts but I could tell that those who had a close relationship with him, thought of me as a murderer", she whispered, her voice cracking every so often at the end of words. Castiel squeezed her hand gently, offering her some gentle reassurance that she was okay as both of their thoughts wandered back to that terrible, court day.

_Becky had waken Scarlett up super early, five thirty if she had to guess; Scarlett was in a simple black pencil skirt, a ruffled peach blouse and a black blazer. She had on stockings and small, two inched heels. She paced nervously outside of the courtoom as Becky and Chuck sat on the bench, watching her. No sooner had Castiel walked off of the elevator was he almost knocked over by Scarlett throwing her arms around him; he wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her hair._

  
_"It's okay, baby, I'm here. I'm here...", he said softly. She dabbed at her eyes, not knowing what to say. He tucked a loose wavy strand of hair behind her ear, smiling down at her gently. Giving her a soft squeeze around her waist, he lead her to the other bench and had her sit down, murmuring comforting words._

  
_"I don't know what kind of questions they will ask or whether or not the jury will believe. What if they don't?" She asked hysterically. He took both of her hands in his, having her look at him._

  
_"Listen, you know what happened, I know what happened. Baby, you're going to go in there and be your honest self. I'll be there to support you, I love you", he said gently. She smiled gently at him, her posture relaxing a bit, she didn't seem so tense._

  
_"I love you too, Castiel", she murmured._

  
Castiel sat up the same time Scarlett did and he withdrew his hand, sitting up on his hands. He looked down at C.J. who made chewing, smacking sounds but otherwise remained asleep. Scarlett pulled the basket towards her and smiled, offering him a can of Dr. Pepper which he took with a smile; she sifted through the sandwiches and handed him the one she deemed fit.

  
"You still like the razzleberry preserve right?"She asked while he opened the saran wrap and took a bite. He smiled through a mouthful of sandwich and Scarlett laughed, her head falling back; she looked so carefree, it made Castiel's heart ache in a surprisingly wonderful way. They ate quietly until C.J. whimpered and lifted his head before he sat up, he reached for Scarlett, his blue eyes shiny with unshed tears; Scarlett picked him up, rocking him back and forth while Castiel watchedd, almost tearing up himself. I knew Scarlett would be a perfect mother he thought. Scarlett caught Castiel watching her and neither one turned away; Castiel felt that this was how it should be, going on picnics on Saturdays, playing in the park with their son, raising him together. As he finished his sandwich, he took a drink of his Dr. Pepper; he reached for C.J. and Scarlett lifted him, handing him over and took out a plastic baggie with cut up pieces of PB&J, and some grapes, smiling as she did. She held a few pieces of grape to C.J. who grabbed them up and ate them one at a time, before he offered one to Castiel. Castiel laughed and leaned down, opening his mouth and C.J. put it in his mouth; it was warm from being in his hand, but Castiel didn't care.

  
"He likes you, he never offers me grapes", Scarlett teased playfully. C.J. ate a few pieces of his PB&J before he stood up on shaky leg, starting to bounce; he made gibberish sounds and smiled at Scarlett, looking so much like Castiel that it made Scarlett's heart ache in a pleasant way.

  
"I think he's ready for the swings", Scarlett said. Castiel scooped C.J. up into his arms and stood up.

  
"Why don't you eat, I'll take him to the swings", he offered. Scarlett laughed at the surprised look on C.J.'s face before Castiel had him strapped in a children's swing; Scarlett started on her sandwich while watching Castiel with him; C.J. was clapping his hands and giggling while Castiel was laughing and pushing C.J. lightly. Scarlett finished her sandwich and made her way over to the swings, knowing that her picnic blanket was in plain view and she could still keep and eye on it; she sat down on one of the swings and looked over her shoulder at Castiel innocently enough and he slowly walked over, gripping the chains above her hands. As he started pushing her she kicked her legs and C.J. started laughing, watching them while he bounced in his seat; as Castiel pushed Scarlett, he felt at ease something he hadn't felt for a long, long time. It just felt right with her, as if they had never been apart at all. Scarlett almost fell from the swing as Castiel grabbed the chains to stop her; he was looking down at her. Scarlett held her breath as he leaned down, she could feel his cool breath just before her lips. Her hand touched the back of his neck and Castiel assumed she'd push him away until her lips collided with his in a soft kiss as her eyes slipped shut. Time seemed to stop, it always had when Castiel had kissed Scarlett in the past; it stopped again, and her lips were so soft as he deepened the kiss. They both pulled away, almost as if they were startled and Scarlett stood quickly; she pushed her bangs away from her face, picking C.J. up.

  
"I-I'm sorry, Scarlett. Forgive me", he whispered slowly. Scarlett offered him a small smile and she shrugged, not looking incredibly upset.

  
"I need to be getting C.J. down to Ms. Moseley. I have work tonight, ya know", she teased, walking back to the blanket. He followed after her and helped her pack the things away, their arms would brush occasionally and Scarlett felt guilt pool in her belly as she thought of how eagerly she had responded to Cas' kiss.

  
"Would you like to walk me home? I just live over the hill in those apartments", she asked, pointing with her hand. She settled C.J. into his stroller, the picnic basket sitting in the bottom of the stroller; he smiled and nodded, watching as she walked off. He wondered how she had gone back to her original weight so fast and then remembered that she is a dancer and she probably lost all of it quickly with how hard she danced. He suddenly felt hot under the collar, remembering how flexible and how nimble she was, able to climb across him so easily and do crazy jumps while landing softly. As they walked onto the first landing, she knocked on a lovely white door with the number 'one' on it. A short, older, thicker, dark skinned woman opened the door; she had honest, brown eyes and dark red lips. She looked at Scarlett and then at Castiel as her teeth shone brightly against her skin with a smile, little wrinkles appearing near her eyes.

  
"You must be Castiel. Scarlett, you...You described him perfectly. Come in, come in. I've just made some gumbo, you best come in and have some, warm ya up a little bit", she offered. Castiel watched Scarlett's cheeks turn red in embarassment.

  
"Ms. Moseley I can't. I'm going to run late. I need you to take C.J. please and I'll be back sometime around midnight, if not sooner", she answered. Ms. Moseley looked between them and she just so happened to catch the half guilty look on Castiel's face and Scarlett's flushed cheeks to put two and two together; she smiled again, turning the stroller around so she could see baby C.J.

  
"You look just like your daddy, same blue eyes and all", she said quietly. Castiel puffed up a bit and then deflated when he remembered that Scarlett and him weren't together. Ms. Moseley offered her hand to Castiel in an odd introduction.

  
"Missouri Moseley. You can either call me Ms. Moseley like this youngin here, or you can call me Mo", she said politely. Castiel shook her hand and smiled.

  
"You can call me Castiel. Only one person was really allowed to get away with calling me Cas", he stated. She looked him up and down as Scarlett started inching towards the stairs.

  
"Missy, you're gon' leave this boy here and he's gon' eat some homecooked gumbo and get some meat on his bones", she said with a laugh as she wheeled C.J. in before closing the door. Castiel looked surprised and then confused, turning to look at Scarlett.

  
"If she wanted me to stay why didn't she"-"I think she meant after I left for work. Come on, I can give you a tour of the apartment", she offered as she walked up the stairs. Castiel's thighs were burning as they walked up the fourth flight of stairs, cursing as he was reminded she lived one more floor up.

  
"You know, I've never come home from the park this early, it's kind of eerie. I mean not scary, I think I'm using the wrong word, it just feels off is all", she said as she unlocked her door, pushing it open.

  
"And Eric is"-Scarlett stopped barely inside the threshold as she saw her boyfriend. Buried deep inside a petite blond who was on her hands and knees on the carpet, Eric on his knees behind her.

  
"Eric."

  
"Taylor."

  
Castiel and Scarlett looked at each other in confusion before turning to the two whom had pulled away from each quickly; Taylor got dressed hastily; once completely dressed she rushed over to Castiel, looping her arms around his neck. Scarlett wouldn't meet Eric's eyes as she breezed passed him silently, walking to C.J.'s room; she started packing his small assortment of clothes and toys, muttering to herself before walking to her room. She began packing her things when she felt arms around her waist.

  
"Baby, she doesn't mean anything. You're always gone and she's just for sex", Eric whispered against her neck. She shrugged him off and continued packing, completely surprised when he shoved her hard, forcing her to stumble and hit the inside wall of the closet; there were quick thuds against the floor and Castiel was standing in the room. All three of them heard the slam of the front door, but neither made a move; Scarlett was shocked, Eric had never struck her not even when he was drunk, why start now. Castiel moved towards her as if in slow motion and Scarlett recognized the flash of pain radiating from her head as he helped her up; Eric didn't dare move. Eric was shorter than Castiel and not nearly as muscular; he also knew when to pick fights. Castiel stayed almost uncomfortably close as Scarlett finished packing and he picked up C.J.'s bags, looking at Scarlett for confirmation. She set her phone down on the bedside table and then walked passed Eric; before Castiel could do anything he had half tripped Scarlett and then kicked her hip to unbalance her. As Castiel dropped the bag, he saw Scarlett stand and hit Eric so hard across the face that Castiel's shirt got some splattered blood across it; he saw that she had wrapped a pearl necklace around her hand. He picked up the bag and Scarlett's bag as well before she walked out of the apartment with Castiel hot on her heels; he followed her all the way down until they were once again standing in front of Mo's door. Scarlett raised her hand to knock but her hand was shaking violently; when the door opened they were both surprised. Mo stood there, took one look at Scarlett and swept her into a gentle hug that reminded Scarlett of Castiel's mother, Becky. She smelled like the same type of fabric softener, the scent clinging to her skin.

  
"You stay here with Mo' as long as you like ya hear. Castiel just bring those bags in please. Ya'll ready for something to eat?" She asked, leading Scarlett into the livingroom. She wasn't crying, but Castiel was beyond worried. He dug through her bag until he found a journal and flipped to an empty page, writing his number down since she had left her phone upstairs. He watched as Mo pushed her gently to sit on the couch, Scarlett staring off blankly while Mo walked off towards what Castiel assumed was the kitchen; he had only seen Scarlett have a panic attack once, during the trial. He sat next to her, taking her hand in his, lacing their fingers together.

  
_"Your honor, I would like to dismiss all charges and charge Ms. Baker here for wasting time and false accusations", the DA had said. Scarlett stood then, rolling her sleeves up; Castiel caught the flash of hurt before the anger glide across her face seamlessly._

  
_"You think I'm making this up?" She asked, her voice was eerily calm, as if the rage was barely there. Castiel thought he had never seen her look so beautiful, finally able to say what she wanted. The judge made no moves or words to stop her._

  
_"After all these years of abuse, now you come to the easy out after your foster father ended up dead?" He scoffed, earning a few mocking laughs from the patrons that attended the trial, but none, Castiel noticed, from the jury. They looked at her with pity as the DA stood from his chair and walked so he was standing about a foot away from Scarlett. Before he could speak, Scarlett overrode him._

  
_"Have you ever been in the Foster system, sir?" She asked. He shook his intending to reply vocally when Scarlett continued._

  
_"Then you cannot understand what it is like to be bounced around as a baby to a child; unwanted, like a bruised sack of potatoes that no one cares enough about", she stated._

  
_"I don't see where"-"I didn't say anything about him molesting me because I thought if I just stayed quiet, I would get to stay with this family. This family loved me, surely this must be how fathers take care of their daughters right? He started molesting me when I was six, I guess he thought I was too old when I turned fourteen because he never touched me again", she hissed from clenched teeth. Castiel watched as some women from the jury shifted uncomfortably._

  
_"So you planned on killing him?" The DA retorted. Scarlett's face was now open with rage, her eyes flashing angrily._

  
_"I killed a monster. Not a man; a man wouldn't sexually and phyically abuse his daughter! Regardless of her being biologically his! I happen to know that a few weeks before I shot him, I was badly beaten at the hands of what you call a model citizen", she said bitingly._

  
_"He was a model citizen. You're just a spoiled child who wanted her way", he replied. The judge still said nothing and it was in that instant that Castiel realised he didn't care as long as the jury gave their answer. Scarlett turned her wrist over, the scars of where she had harmed herself; they were still a bit red in some places, white in others. She pointed to the one just under her elbow and Castiel knew that one; it was longer and more prominent than any of her other scars._

  
_"I started cutting myself when I was seven years old, sir. Seven years old! Do you know what kind of fucked up psyche I must have to want to hurt myself? This one was when he made me bleed using his fingers, saying that I must be a woman now because I had had a man inside me. This one is from when he started fucking me at eight years old", she said, showing another cut. Castiel felt the knots in his stomach, he knew she had been sexually abused but he had never known to what extent. The DA's face paled visibly and as much as Castiel wanted to hate him, he realised, this was his job. He was paid to do this to her, to try to make Scarlett into the bad guy; it was killing him. He probably had kids and could think of nothing worse than someone doing that to his own._

  
_"The jury will make a decision and we will reconvene tomorrow morning", the Judge said rather lazily. Castiel frowned at him as Scarlett walked off the stand and ran into his arms, her face completely neutral as he noticed how erratic her breathing was._

  
_"Scar", he said quietly. She kept hyperventilating until her pupils were blown wider with panic and her breaths were coming in short gasps._

  
_"Baby, you with me?" He asked even softer, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. Her head inclined towards him briefly in recognition and he repeated the gesture, noticing how her breaths calmed down; her fingers dug into his shirt._

  
"Scarlett?" Castiel asked before pressing a hesitant kiss to her temple, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. Just like before, she seemed to come back to him just a bit by the affection. Mo was watching from the shadows of the kitchen as he calmed her down, almost surprised.

  
"Cas?" She questioned softly, to her, her voice sounded far away, muffled; she shifted, her breathing started evening out and she relaxed against him. He held her in his arms for a brief moment.

  
"Did you still want to go to work?" He asked gently. Scarlett shot up, standing and almost stumbling before she dropped to her knees, digging through her bag.

  
"I have to go to work. And I'll call Lucy to let her know I'll be a bit late. Ms. Moseley don't worry about dinner for me, I'll grab something at the diner", she said. She quickly walked to the backroom, where Castiel assumed was a bedroom or two, one that held a sleeping baby.

  
"Can Castiel stay with you until I get off of work?" She inquired as she walked back out, wearing a soft yellow dress with a white apron. Her name tag had a little picture of a ladybug along with her name and Castiel thought it cute; as she gathered her things, he offered her the piece of paper on which he had written his number and she placed it in her purse before grabbing her jacket. Mo watched the strange turn of events and wondered how she could switch so quickly; Castiel followed her to the door and was surprised, for lack of a better word, when she pressed a soft kiss to his lips in farewell.

  
"I'll be back around midnight, like I said earlier, that is if Steve doesn't fire me", she said, a longing look in her eyes. He nodded and tilted her head back to press a reassuring kiss against her forehead.

  
"I'll be here", he promised. She offered him an odd sort of look, one he couldn't place and walked out of the door; Castiel felt an ache inside of him at seeing her leave him again. _At least this time she'll be back_ he thought. He sat on the couch hesitantly and was startled when Mo placed a dinner tray in front of him with a huge, steaming bowl of gumbo and some French bread.

  
"Oh, thank you so much, Mo", he said quietly as she sat on the recliner next to the sofa, bringing her own tray towards her.

  
"You're quite welcome. I was serious about putting some meat on your bones, that girl needs a strong man to take care of her", she stated. Castiel chuckled almost darkly as he remembered the way she punched Eric in the face; he faced Mo's stern look.

  
"That girl, Scarlett...She is so much stronger than she think she's is. She...she is my everything and I know she'll leave me for something better before I would ever leave her", he said qiuetly while he started eating. He felt a swat on his arm and was given a dirty look as Mo turned the television on.

  
"Boy, that girl looks at you as if you hung the moon, threw the stars in her eyes...I can't even tell you how many times she would stare off in the middle of a conversation and I just knew she was thinking about you. She wasn't happy when she moved into these apartments", she said finishing her bowl. Castiel dug in while she rinsed her dishes off in the kitchen, knowing how many times he must have seemed like a zombie when he would think of Scarlett.

  
\-------------

  
Scarlett made the little diner bell ring above the door as she walked into the diner; she sighed, happy that she was only eight minutes late.

  
"Ladybug! That sly devil, Lou is in his usual seat in the back booth", Lucy said pointing with her notepad. Scarlett smiled, setting her purse and jacket on the shelf under the register. She grabbed her notepad, walking down the aisle to the booth.

  
"Hey, Lou, you big lug. How have you been, hun?" Scarlett said, oozing with charm. She smiled while she leaned against the booth, her mind throwing the recent events of the day. She sighed, wiping her face as the older gentleman smiled up at her. He had wrinkles around his eyes, deep set grooves from smiling so many years; he was a gentle, old soul.

  
"Ladybug, you seem pretty upset. Is there anything I can help you with?" He offered. She shook her head as she stared off, her breaths starting to come in short, raspy breaths. Her eyes glazed over, the pupils dilated. Lou stood up and helped Scarlett to sit down. He touched her arm but she wouldn't come to; she was staring off into space. Lucy grabbed Scarlett's purse, looking for her anxiety pills and scowling when she couldn't find them; she found a ripped piece of paper with the name _'Castiel'_ scrawled on it and a number. She quickly dialed the number, waiting and impatiently tapping her foot on the floor.

  
"Hello?" A deep, gravelly voice came onto the phone. Lucy stilled, the voice sounding much more aggressive than he probably was.

  
"Hi, uh C-Castiel? This is uhm, Lucy from Lucille's diner...I think uh, Scarlett. Well I know Scarlett is having a panic attack but your name is on this piece of paper and"-"What is your address?" Castiel said, interjecting smoothly.

  
"On first and Amistad. Lou, one of her favorite customers is trying to get her to drink some water but she's just staring blankly", she informed him. Castiel put her on speaker and typed in the address onto his GPS.

  
"I'll be there in ten", he said irritably before he hung up.

 

Fifteen minutes later, Castiel was fuming; there had been a wreck and granted that he was only five minutes later than he had anticipated, it was five minutes more that Scarlett was spiraling faster down into anxiety. He pushed open the door and was greeted by a young girl of about eighteen with brown eyes and a blonde ponytail; she smiled at him, her eyes widening as she took in his appearance.

  
"You must be Lucy, the one who called me?" He offered as she held one hand to her chest and the other out for him to shake; he shook it quickly, frowning when she giggled.

  
"Scarlett is over here", she chirped and then frowned, walking down the aisles. Castiel saw a loving, older gentleman sitting across from Scarlett, still trying to coax her to drink some water. He slid into the booth next to her and took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. Scarlett didn't pay any attention to him until he pressed a soft kiss to her temple, rubbing soft circles on the junction between her thumb and wrist; her breathing softened, before it was evened. She turned her face to look at Castiel and he saw her eyes fill with tears, before they cascaded down her cheeks. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him, crying harder. He threaded his fingers through her hair, whispering gentle nothings in her ear. Her fingers dug into his shirt and she buried her face in his neck, soft whimpers coming from her. Castiel looked at Lou who tipped his hat at him and he offered him a soft smile filled with gratitude. Scarlett started calming down, but she didn't let go of his arm or his shirt. Lucy walked up slowly, wringing her hands.

  
"I tried to find her anxiety pills, but they weren't in her purse. That's how I found your number. But, uhm can I get you anything?" She offered nervously. Castiel glanced over the menu under the glass and then looked at Lou.

  
"How does the special sound to you, Sir?" He asked. Lou shook his head and made to stand before Castiel waved him to sit back down. Lou took his hat off and sat it on the booth next to him, smiling kindly.

  
"They sound just fine, young man", he replied. Castiel looked at Lucy and gave her a dazzling smile which made her blush.

  
"Three specials please", he ordered. Lucy wrote it down.

  
"What flavors on the milkshakes and what drinks would you like?" She questioned. Castiel tilted Scarlett's face up to him, speaking softly as if she were a frightened animal.

  
"Half vanilla, half strawberry, right?" He asked. She nodded, wiping her eyes slowly with a sniffle. He looked at Lucy and nodded.

  
"So that's two half vanilla and half strawberry? And for you, Lou?" She asked. Lou smiled graciously.

  
"Chocolate, please, Luce", he replied. She wrote it down.

  
"I'm thinking three Dr. Peppers?" He asked, getting the nodded confirmation. Lucy nodded and walked off to get their order in, smiling at Castiel from behind the counter. He frowned and kissed Scarlett's forehead.

  
"I'm sorry", she whispered. Castiel shook his head.

  
"Don't be sorry. You've had a stressful day. Where are your pills though?" He questioned. She shifted and sighed, rubbing her temples.

  
"I have to get a new prescription...I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to deal with this",she murmured. Castiel wiped some tears she missed and smiled down at her.

  
"It's okay. I'm not dealing with anything. I'm helping...a friend get through an axiety attack", he replied. Castiel didn't miss the flinch and the way she tried to push away from him; Castiel tightened his grip on her and kissed her forehead again.

  
"You don't want to be friends?" He whispered. She looked up at him and frowned.

  
"Friends don't kiss the way we did at the park", she muttered. Lou stood, picking up his hat.

  
"I'll just move over to this next booth. Thank you so much, young man for lunch", he said clasping his hand on Castiel's shoulder. Castiel sighed and looked back down at Scarlett.

  
"You're right, Scarlett. Friends don't kiss the way I kissed you. I don't want to be your friend, but I'd be incredibly vapid if I let you walk away from me a second time", he answered. Scarlett sat up as Lucy sat down two plates of food, smiling at them. She set the drinks down as well.

  
"Is everything okay, you feeling better, Ladybug?" She questioned. Scarlett nodded and smiled, showing her white smile.

  
"I'll make your milkshakes closer to the end of your meal", she said. Lucy walked off and walked around, asking for drinks and such. Scarlett dug into her burger heartily, squirting some ketchup onto Castiel's plate. Castiel dipped a fry in and brought it to his mouth, but before he could eat it, Scarlett kissed him softly. He laughed, setting his fry down and kissed back just as softly, if not softer. She tasted the same as she had in high school; he didn't understand the ache he felt in his chest at the thought, but he figured it had something to do with their breakup.

  
"I want to be together again, but I want us to go slow...", she whispered. Castiel nodded and picked up the fry, eating it in one bite. Scarlett dipped one of her fries in his ketchup and he smiled.

  
"Does this count as our first date then?" He teased playfully. Scarlett wrinkled her nose at him with a laugh.

  
"No, technically our second. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking of having an affair with you", she said simply. Castiel felt his cheeks heat up; the thought of Scarlett cheating on her boyfriend (well, now ex boyfriend) was kind of hot.

  
"I still love you, Castiel. But for this to have any semblance of morale, I want to take it slow", she reiterated. He nodded, sipping his Dr. Pepper.

  
"I can do slow", he stated. They both started laughing; Castiel knew he was very much like a moth drawn to her addicting flame, hell Scarlett probably knew that as well. He took a bit of his burger and made an appreciative moan, causing her to laugh at him before she dug in once again.

  
\------------------

  
Mo heard a soft knock on her door and stood up, keeping her eyes glued to her television and C.J. was bouncing around in the bounce and play behind her, doing gurgling sounds and clapping his chubby hands. When she opened the door she smiled seeing that Scarlett was calm and relaxed, leaning against his chest. Castiel had a wide smile as Scarlett hugged Mo, giggling as she heard C.J. cooing to her.

  
"It's about time you kids got home. What kept ya?" She demanded playfully. Scarlett shrugged a bit, with a soft jerk of her head.

  
"Nothing too big of a deal. I should be getting home now, though. I do have some homework to catch up on", he said rubbing the back of his neck. Scarlett looked crestfallen that he had to leave.

  
"Well, Scareltt, why aren't you getting the little one packed up, huh? If that wasn't a clear invitation I don't know what is", she reprimanded the young girl. Scarlett's cheek turned the colour of Kool-aid before she picked C.J. up.

  
"Oh, now we want to take things slow and"-"Ya'll listen here. You have a child together, you clearly still love each other...You can take things slow when you're dead. Now go on, get. I'll split Jess' schedule with her for babysitting during the week while you're at school", she decided. Scarlett blinked slowly before putting everything into C.J.'s bag, making sure she didn't leave anything behind while Castiel picked up her two bags. Scarlett noticed something then.

  
"Castiel, where did you get a clean shirt?" She asked. He looked at Mo and smiled kindly at her and receieved a wink in return.

  
"I got it from Mo, it's one of hers from college", he replied, smiling down at Scarlett. Now that he could actually take everything in, he noticed she was the same height she was in high school; he had grown another four inches or so and was pleased at the height difference. Scarlett put the diaper bag on her shoulder and held a now dozing C.J. who looked like he just wanted to sleep. Mo closed the door behind them as they walked out.

  
As Castiel walked out to his car, he frowned. Scarlett seemed impressed by the '67 Chevy Impala, it was silver and seemed so much like Castiel. It jogged something in her memory.

  
"Didn't Dean Winchester have a '67 Impala? His was black, right?" She asked. Castiel nodded and then smiled, his earlier thought being chased away; his smile then disappeared as a thin line took its place.

  
"The summer after you left, Dean helped me fix up this piece of junk and I've had it ever since. I call her Mona Lisa", he replied. Scarlett laughed and Castiel had the sudden urge to have her laugh again when he was slammed with his earlier thought.

  
"I don't have a carseat", he stated. Scarlett seemed to think something over and then shifted C.J. to look at him.

  
"How far do you live?" She asked.

  
\---------------

  
Ten nerve-wracking minutes later, Castiel pulled into his spacious garage and helped Scarlett get out and carry everything out before closing the door with the opener. As they walked through another door, Scarlett bumped into Castiel's stiff form; sitting there on the stool at the barlike counter was the girl Eric had been having sex with, a glass of white wine in her hand.

  
"We need to talk, Castiel", she said softly. Her eyes were red rimmed as she set her glass down, before she slid off the stool and walked towards him, burying her face in his chest.

  
"You need to leave, Taylor", he said quietly. Scarlett stepped back a few paces, unsure of how his girlfriend would react and not at all ready for another altercation.

  
"I really want us to try and make this work", Taylor said with a soft sob. Castiel grimaced, stepping back.

  
"We're not going to make us work. I don't love you and I never would love you. It's not fair to me, but it's not fair to you either", he said. Taylor looked up at him and before Scarlett could do or say anything, Taylor had slapped Castiel soundly across the face.

  
"You're an asshole, Castiel. We never even had sex and you were never home"-"How come people always say that when they get caught cheating? Because someone isn't home is reason to cheat? Why not just leave if you were so unhappy?" Scarlett said, interjecting. Castiel felt a rush of affection for her words before he walked passed Taylor, giving her a dismissive wave.

  
"Bye, Taylor. Do you need help packing your things?" He questioned. She grabbed her purse before storming out. Castiel sighed and leaned with his hands on the counter, his head hung low. He jumped, startled, feeling an arm around his waist; he turned to face Scarlett. C.J. was looking up at Castiel with his eyes, reaching for him. Castiel looked at her to see if it was okay and settled the toddler in his arms, leaning against the countertop.

  
"Do you want or need anything?" He asked as C.J. reached up to grab a tuft of Castiel's messy hair. Scarlett gave him a thin smile before she shifted onto her left foot.

  
"Can...Can I take a shower?" She whispered. He nodded, taking her hand as he balanced the toddler on his hip. He pressed it against his cheek, closing his eyes as he leaned into her palm. She touched the stubble along his chin and smiled.

  
"What do I need to do for C.J.?" He asked. Scarlett smiled and looked at C.J. who did the gripping thing with his hand, jabbering away at his mother.

  
"I think he would like a snack...If you don't have anything, there should be something in the baby bag. If not, I can make something with your blender", she said. He nodded and then paused, tugging on her hand before she walked off again.

  
"Wait, you're okay with him being alone with me?" He questioned. She laughed and Castiel felt as if everything that had been wrong with the world was suddenly righted. 


End file.
